Your deadlines
| Date | What it means |
|---|---|
| December 7, 2026 | Open enrollment ends. You can choose any plan sold in your county. |
| December 31, 2026 | Last day to choose for coverage starting January 1, 2027, with no gap. Your old plan ends this day. |
| February 28, 2027 | Your special enrollment period ends. Coverage starts the first of the month after you choose. |
| 63 days after your plan ends | Last day to apply for Medigap with guaranteed-issue rights. |
What to do now
- Keep your non-renewal letter. Medigap companies may ask for it as proof of your guaranteed-issue right.
- List your doctors, hospital, pharmacy and drugs.
- Decide which path you want. Another Medicare Advantage plan in your county, or Original Medicare with a standalone Part D plan and, if you choose, a Medigap policy. Every North Carolina county still has Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in 2027.
- Compare and enroll. See plans for your ZIP code, use Medicare's Plan Finder, or request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Why the Medigap right matters in North Carolina
North Carolina has no Medigap birthday rule or yearly switching right, so outside your first 6 months with Part B at 65, a Medigap company can usually ask health questions and turn you down. You can buy Medigap Plan A, B, D, G, K or L (or C or F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020) from any company selling it in North Carolina, with no health questions. Apply as early as 60 days before your plan ends and no later than 63 days after.
If you're under 65 and have Medicare because of a disability, North Carolina law gives you a guaranteed right to buy Plan A, D or G from any insurer within 63 days after your plan coverage ends (G.S. 58-54-45(b)). Problems with a Medigap company can go to the NC Department of Insurance complaint page. More on Medigap in North Carolina.
If you have NC Medicaid or retiree coverage
- NC Medicaid or Extra Help: you can change drug plans, or leave Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare with a drug plan, once a calendar month. Your NC Medicaid doesn't end when a Medicare plan does. Questions: NC Medicaid Contact Center, 1-888-245-0179. See D-SNPs in North Carolina.
- Retiree group plans: if your coverage comes through the State Health Plan or a former employer, ask them before you join an individual plan. Joining an outside Medicare Advantage or Part D plan moves a State Health Plan member out of the Plan's group Medicare Advantage coverage. See State Health Plan retirees and Medicare.
See which plans end, by county, on North Carolina plans ending in 2027.
Related questions
Which companies are leaving North Carolina?
What CMS data shows.
Do I get guaranteed Medigap?
How the 63-day right works.
Can I switch to Original Medicare?
When and how.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (plan contract not renewed: December 8 to the last day of February)
- Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy? (60 days before to 63 days after)
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.62(b)(1), special election period when a plan is discontinued
- North Carolina General Assembly — G.S. Chapter 58, Article 54 (G.S. 58-54-45, Medigap for people under 65 with a disability)
- Medicare.gov — Avoid late enrollment penalties
- NC Medicaid — Medicaid health plans and programs (NC Medicaid Direct for people with Medicare)
More questions in this guide
- Can I change my Medicare plan after open enrollment ends?
- Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare in North Carolina?
- Do I get a guaranteed right to buy Medigap if my plan leaves North Carolina?
- What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
- When is Medicare open enrollment in North Carolina?
- Which Medicare companies are leaving North Carolina in 2027?
Part of the guide: Medicare Open Enrollment in North Carolina (2027 Plans) · All questions
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I do nothing?
On January 1, 2027 you go back to Original Medicare automatically, but without Part D drug coverage. You can still join a plan through February 28, 2027, with coverage starting the first of the month after you enroll.
Will I pay a Part D late penalty if I have a gap?
A late enrollment penalty can apply if you go 63 days or more in a row without creditable drug coverage. Choosing by December 31 avoids any gap.
Can my doctor still see me in January?
If you choose Original Medicare, any doctor who accepts Medicare can see you. If you choose a new Medicare Advantage plan, check that your doctors and hospital are in its 2027 network before you enroll.
Medicare in your North Carolina county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Wake · Mecklenburg · Guilford · Forsyth · Durham · Cumberland · Buncombe · Union · Johnston · Cabarrus · New Hanover · Gaston · Onslow · Iredell · Alamance · Pitt · Davidson · Brunswick · Catawba · Rowan · All 100 counties →
